RAMALLAH, TEL-AVIV, October 11 (WAFA)-The Israeli controversial “Citizenship Law” amendment sparked condemnation from Palestinian and Israeli politicians.

The Palestinian Information Ministry considered in a statement the adoption of “Citizenship Law” as a culmination of racism, extremism, as well a clear call to migrate the people from their lands.”

The ministry called on the UN Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations to condemn “this dangerous step of a country that claims democracy on one hand and proceeds with extremism on the other.”

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Struggle Front announced that the Israeli government’s decision of ratifying the law of pledge of allegiance to Israel as a “Jewish State” is a new guide to fascism and racism.

In the meantime, the Israeli Hadash chairman Mohammed Barakeh blamed on Sunday Netanyahu and Barak for supporting and promoting 'mega-racist legislation.'

Arab Knesset Member Talab al-Sana said on Sunday that 'the amendment is a serious blow to democracy and will cause the exclusion of 20 percent of the country's citizens... [It] will situate Israel as the successor of Apartheid-era South Africa.'

Israeli Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy Dan Meridor criticized Monday the amendment to the Citizenship Law, passed in a cabinet vote on Sunday, which requires individuals wishing to become Israeli citizens to declare allegiance to Israel as a 'Jewish, democratic state.' 

Meridor said that the amendment to the citizenship law was unjustified 'We are a Jewish state, we are the state for the Jewish people, and we wrote this in our basic laws. This is a known and a given fact – that is how we were established by the United Nations,' Meridor said, adding the question 'do we have to continue repeating these words in relation to every context, when we have already won the historical battle?'

'Lately there has been suggestion, after suggestion, after suggestion meant to send messages to the Arab public - 'this is not yours, this is not your country,' and there are even those who say 'we will soon transfer you to a Palestinian state.' The Arab citizens are constantly reminded that they do not belong, and yet we demand loyalty from them,' Meridor added.

Leader of the Israeli opposition and Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni condemned on Sunday the cabinet's approval of a controversial amendment to the Citizenship Law requiring non-Jews seeking citizenship to pledge allegiance to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.

'What we have seen today is politics at its worst. The sensitive issue of Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state has become subject to political horse-trading.'

Meretz chairman; Knesset Member Haim Oron also condemned the amendment on Sunday, saying that 'time and again it is evident that the government has adopted Lieberman's agenda in its entirety.'

Oron added that the government has sunk into a 'moral and political abyss.'

As for the Israeli academics raised a protest against what they called “continuous erosion of Israeli democracy.”